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AFFIDAVIT OF RICHARD DENNIS CALL
The following affidavit was executed by Richard Dennis Call on May 20, 1961
PRESIDENTS COMMISSION
ON THE ASSASSINATION OF
AFFIDAYIT
PRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY
STATE OF PENNSYLVANIA
County of Northampton, 88:
I, Richard Dennis Call, R. D. 1, Hellertown, Pennsylvania, being first duly
sworn, depose and say:
That I served in the United States Marine Corps from September, 1956, to
December, 1959. From December, 1958, to December, 1939, I was stationed
with Marine Air Control Squadron #9, Lighter Than Air Station, Santa Ana,
California. During this time I made the acquaintance of Lee Harvey Oswald.
I lived in the ensign hut next to, and was on the same radar crew as, Oswald.
I estimate that I talked to some extent with Oswald each day during the period
that we were stationed together.
It was very diffieult to evaluate Ostrald's personality because he never talked
about his life prior to joining the Marine Corps or about what he did while in
the Marine Corps. Although by the usual standards I was just an acquaintance
of Oswald, I probably was one of his best friends.
Ostrald once dated an airline stewardess who was learning Russian.
Oswald spent a great deal of time reading. I do not remember what he read,
because he never talked about it. He also spent a great deal of time playing
chess. I played chess with him about once a week; we were of approximately
equal ability.
Although members of the unit often had discussions on foreign affairs, Oswald
seldom, if ever, participated.
During this time, Oswald was studying Russian. For this reason many mem-
bers of the unit kidded him about being a Russian spy; Oswald seemed to enjoy
this sort of remark. At that time I had a phonograph record of Russian classient
pieces entitled "Russian Fireworks." When I would play this record, Oswald
would come over to me and say "You called?" I had a chess set which contained
red and white chessmen; Oswald always chose the red chessmen, making some
remark to the effect that he preferred the "Red Army." In connection with
this general joking about Oswald's interest in Russian, he was nicknamed
"Oswaldskovich." However, I do not recall Oswald's making serious remarks
with regard to the Soviet
On one occasion, Oswald remarked to me that he had been awarded a scholar-
ship to Albert Schweitzer University and that he planned to attend, remarking
that they taught English at Schweitzer.
I believe Oswald generally remained on the post; I do not remember anyone's
going on liberty with him, Sometimes he and I went to the base movie theatre.
Oswald was not enthusiastic about his job, and performed about as wen
as the average radar operator.
Although I sometimes observed Oswald drinking in the Enlisted Men's Club,
I
do not remember his ever becoming intoxicated.
Oswald complained about the orders he was given, but no more than did the
average Marine. However, it was my opinion that the Staff Non-Commissioned
Officers did not think of Oswald as capable. In my opinion, this attitude was
a result of the fact that Oswald did not try to hide his lack of enthusiasm,
I have no recollection of Oswald's studying either Spanish or German.
It was difficult to tell how intelligent Oswald was, because of his refusal to
communicate. It was clear, however, that Oswald wanted to be thought of
as intelligent.
Nelson Delgado was at this time devoutly religious. Another Marine from
California, who at that time was interested in Zen Buddhism, had an idol of
Buddha solely for the purpose of making Delgado angry. He succeeded in this
attempt. Oswald enjoyed this successful attempt to anger Delgado.
Oswald's reactions to everything were subdued and Stoic.
Oswald's hardship discharge came as a surprise to the members of the unit
we had not known of it long in advance. I have no recollection of Oswald's
receiving any visitors.
Signed this 20th day of May, 1964, at Helltown, Pa.
(S)
Richard Dennis Call,
RICHARD DENNIS CALL.
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"ocrText": "type\ni <\nAFFIDAVIT OF RICHARD DENNIS CALL\nThe following affidavit was executed by Richard Dennis Call on May 20, 1961\nPRESIDENTS COMMISSION\nON THE ASSASSINATION OF\nAFFIDAYIT\nPRESIDENT JOHN F. KENNEDY\nSTATE OF PENNSYLVANIA\nCounty of Northampton, 88:\nI, Richard Dennis Call, R. D. 1, Hellertown, Pennsylvania, being first duly\nsworn, depose and say:\nThat I served in the United States Marine Corps from September, 1956, to\nDecember, 1959. From December, 1958, to December, 1939, I was stationed\nwith Marine Air Control Squadron #9, Lighter Than Air Station, Santa Ana,\nCalifornia. During this time I made the acquaintance of Lee Harvey Oswald.\nI lived in the ensign hut next to, and was on the same radar crew as, Oswald.\nI estimate that I talked to some extent with Oswald each day during the period\nthat we were stationed together.\nIt was very diffieult to evaluate Ostrald's personality because he never talked\nabout his life prior to joining the Marine Corps or about what he did while in\nthe Marine Corps. Although by the usual standards I was just an acquaintance\nof Oswald, I probably was one of his best friends.\nOstrald once dated an airline stewardess who was learning Russian.\nOswald spent a great deal of time reading. I do not remember what he read,\nbecause he never talked about it. He also spent a great deal of time playing\nchess. I played chess with him about once a week; we were of approximately\nequal ability.\nAlthough members of the unit often had discussions on foreign affairs, Oswald\nseldom, if ever, participated.\nDuring this time, Oswald was studying Russian. For this reason many mem-\nbers of the unit kidded him about being a Russian spy; Oswald seemed to enjoy\nthis sort of remark. At that time I had a phonograph record of Russian classient\npieces entitled \"Russian Fireworks.\" When I would play this record, Oswald\nwould come over to me and say \"You called?\" I had a chess set which contained\nred and white chessmen; Oswald always chose the red chessmen, making some\nremark to the effect that he preferred the \"Red Army.\" In connection with\nthis general joking about Oswald's interest in Russian, he was nicknamed\n\"Oswaldskovich.\" However, I do not recall Oswald's making serious remarks\nwith regard to the Soviet\nOn one occasion, Oswald remarked to me that he had been awarded a scholar-\nship to Albert Schweitzer University and that he planned to attend, remarking\nthat they taught English at Schweitzer.\nI believe Oswald generally remained on the post; I do not remember anyone's\ngoing on liberty with him, Sometimes he and I went to the base movie theatre.\nOswald was not enthusiastic about his job, and performed about as wen\nas the average radar operator.\nAlthough I sometimes observed Oswald drinking in the Enlisted Men's Club,\nI\ndo not remember his ever becoming intoxicated.\nOswald complained about the orders he was given, but no more than did the\naverage Marine. However, it was my opinion that the Staff Non-Commissioned\nOfficers did not think of Oswald as capable. In my opinion, this attitude was\na result of the fact that Oswald did not try to hide his lack of enthusiasm,\nI have no recollection of Oswald's studying either Spanish or German.\nIt was difficult to tell how intelligent Oswald was, because of his refusal to\ncommunicate. It was clear, however, that Oswald wanted to be thought of\nas intelligent.\nNelson Delgado was at this time devoutly religious. Another Marine from\nCalifornia, who at that time was interested in Zen Buddhism, had an idol of\nBuddha solely for the purpose of making Delgado angry. He succeeded in this\nattempt. Oswald enjoyed this successful attempt to anger Delgado.\nOswald's reactions to everything were subdued and Stoic.\nOswald's hardship discharge came as a surprise to the members of the unit\nwe had not known of it long in advance. I have no recollection of Oswald's\nreceiving any visitors.\nSigned this 20th day of May, 1964, at Helltown, Pa.\n(S)\nRichard Dennis Call,\nRICHARD DENNIS CALL."
}